


Checkmate

by opalmatrix



Category: Saiyuki Gaiden, The Sandman
Genre: Chess Game, Crossover, Flash Fic, Gen, Mind Games, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-09
Updated: 2010-03-09
Packaged: 2017-10-07 19:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/68645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalmatrix/pseuds/opalmatrix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Lord of Dreams entertains his guest with a game of chess and a few suggestions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Checkmate

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from [** nouvellebrielle **](http://nouvellebrielle.livejournal.com/); _Saiyuki Gaiden/Sandman_ (crossover): Tenpou and Dream: "Chess". (Part of a set of flash fics written September 2009; no beta)

Lord Morpheus silently offered his guest the box of chessmen. Tenpou Gensui selected a black pawn. Wordlessly, they set up the ranks of their armies. Dream positioned each piece precisely in the center of its square. Tenpou's two lines wavered and staggered, as though the soldiers and officers were already in their victory cups. For several moments, the only sound was the slow advance of the pieces on the board.

"Why would you come all this way to play a game of chess, Field Marshall?"

"Actually, I would have rather made conversation. But that didn't seem quite your style."

"I have no time for idle chatter."

"But you have time for a game of chess."

"Chess focuses the mind. And you have not answered my question."

"No, I haven't, have I? I wanted to learn something more about this realm and its ruler."

"I could make you free of this realm. Surely that would be more interesting to you."

"Why would you think so?"

"Anything you wish can occur here. You could re-fight the great battles of history, and better the original generals' tactics."

"I fight enough already in the waking world. And wouldn't I just be battling myself, in the end?"

"You could make that intriguing general your catamite."

"It wouldn't be _real._ In fact, one could call it masturbation. No thank you, Lord Morpheus."

"This game begins to pall."

A black rook was swept from the board. Tenpou touched his queen, abandoned it, and moved his farther bishop instead.

"Check. And, if I may say so, mate in three."

The fathomless pits of his host's eye scanned the board once, twice, three times. "How could that happen?"

Tenpou smiled, gently. "How could it not? Wasn't I, in reality, playing myself?"

 


End file.
